Do guns turn everyone into mechanical engineers?

[Enkrypter]

I find it funny how I am so mechanically challenged that I can barely change a light-bulb, but I can field strip every gun I own in record time and it fascinates the hell out of me.

I am a desk jockey by day. I take my cars in to get oil changed, I pay to have my yard mowed, and I hate anything that has to do with manual labor most of the time. Aside from electronics and computers, I have zero interest with anything else that has moving parts, except guns.

I'm not your typical good-ole-boy. I did grow up working on a farm and had typical manual labor jobs as a teenager, and I have worked hard to get where I am today. But anymore, I'm just a lazy desk jockey that works in IT.

I guess what I am getting at is this: I'm mechanically challenged as all hell, but guns make me want to learn how to run a CNC machine and work in a metal shop. They make me want to know more about steal and metal tolerances and all that kind of stuff.

I see a firearm and I don't see an instrument of death. I see a work of art in the form of science and engineering and I just want to know more about it. I could care less about how the engine in my car works, so long as it gets me to work everyday, but if my gun is acting funny, I have a DEEP desire to take it apart and find out why.

My wife wonders how I can be so seemingly un-manly in most all conversations, but somehow turn into an uber gun nerd when the topic comes up. I don't think it should matter where you came from or who you are to like guns or the personal freedom of owning them. I welcome all walks of life who are willing to responsibly enjoy the hobby.

Am I alone in this?

 

[SERparacord]

Most likely results are an idiot with a Dremel tool.

 

[DownByTheTracks]

Based on the number of times I've seen a brand new gun carried inside a Ziploc baggie for me to reassemble...No. Owning a gun does not bring about a magical transformation of mechanical skills.

 

[SideArmed]

Gun owner equaling a Mechanical engineer, would be the same as saying that because I have a computer and can get on the internet, that makes me an IT expert.

I had worked on 70-80's era aircraft electronics for 13 years on some of the more advanced systems out there, and everyone I know asked me to fix their computers.
Now I have a job that I actually do work with a lot of computers and I am realizing just how much I don't know about IT & Software applications.

 

[Mango]

They turn everyone in to physicists who can explain in great detail why that factory load must have had one grain too much powder in it and the twist rate is just an inch short which is why they aren't shooting sub MOA at 100 yards .

 

[84VETTE]

I'm a student in mechanical engineering tech, the machining and cnc side of things are pretty interesting, but after you sit through a metalurgy lecture your opinion will change. By the way I still use a dremel on my guns, but I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

I feel about the same way. My early career was as a tool maker. Mills, lathes and surface grinders. Now Im in a different field. I have a real appreciation of old guns. Most everything I own are early to mid 1900 Smith and Wesson revolvers. They hand fitted them so well that I can not help but respect them and I love to take them apart, clean, inspect, "fondle", lube and gengerly put them back together. Most all of them I shoot, make dirty and do it all over again. Should I be calling Dr. Laura?

 

[ashby koss]

I'm a student in mechanical engineering tech, the machining and cnc side of things are pretty interesting, but after you sit through a metalurgy lecture your opinion will change. By the way I still use a dremel on my guns, but I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing.

Actually I find Metallurgy rather interesting. With dissimilar metals, atomic patterns in regard to density, creation, and firearms materials. Which now dips into pot metals, polymers, and stress limits for these materials. Mechanical engineer here though.

 

[CQB]

I'm not a mechanical engineer, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[Popeye81]

Im a machinist well versed in both manual and CNC machining. I've made everything from simple jigs and fixtures all the way up to turbine engine parts. I've found that guns finally give me something practical and useful to me in everyday life that I can apply my machining knowledge to.

 

[cbhausen]

I'm a CAD designer (medical products) and guns fascinate the hell out of me, they always have. I want to know and understand everything about how they operate and function. The more unique the design the more interesting it is. I just wish I could own them all.

 

[PGRChaplain]

Only the folks that can reassemble the Gun.

 

[tatters]

I'm pretty much like the OP..Except I'm not from a farm. I'm a parts guy and have been one since before my high school graduation in 1976. I can read pretty much any parts book that you put in front of me, but I have very little mechanical ability past the most minor things..

But somehow I feel the need to dis-assemble my guns much past the field strip level, sometimes tweak, and hope to get them back together. That is, with a little help from my friends...on INGO and other forums.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I learned long a go not to mess with the mechanics of a firearm. I dismantled an old Stevens .22 just to see how it worked. Could not get it back together. Finally just stuck the parts back in the gun and put it back on the shelf. I checked it a week later and discovered my dad had put it back together. Never again. I can clean my weapons, but when it comes to removing the trigger assembly, I find someone with more skill.

 

[Hornett]

I already was a mechanical engineer
so......

 

[actaeon277]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seEegWV5RYM

 

[Excalibur]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seEegWV5RYM

They should show that vid at boot camp and every time someone ****s up, they say an 11 year old girl can do better than you.

 

[kludge]

I find it funny how I am so mechanically challenged that I can barely change a light-bulb, but I can field strip every gun I own in record time and it fascinates the hell out of me.

I guess what I am getting at is this: I'm mechanically challenged as all hell, but guns make me want to learn how to run a CNC machine and work in a metal shop. They make me want to know more about steal and metal tolerances and all that kind of stuff.

Am I alone in this?

I remember quite some time ago, reading a magazine article, might have been Psychology Today, or it might even have been Time or Newsweek, anyway, the article was about the differences in the brain function of boys and girls - and yes, on average, the brain function is quite different.

I only remember one notable thing from the article... they tested boys and girls doing math problems and watched the brain waves.

In girls, it did not matter if they were good or bad at math, the same parts of the brain lit up.

In boys, the boys who were good at math had several more parts of their brains working than they boys who were bad at math.

Their conclusion was that the boys who were good were the ones who could focused and concentrated more (i.e. they were more interested in it).

I have a saying "It's mind over matter -- and if you don't mind it doesn't matter." The corollary being that you will focus on the things that matter to you and you will learn them. I had a bunch of guys on my high school basketball team that struggled to get a D in math so they could stay on the team and couldn't remember dates for a history test, yet on Monday morning they could quote all the stats from the weekends games.

For most of them I believe the power was within them, if they wanted to use it.

 

[Sfrandolph]

Step away from the welder and no one will get hurt.

 

[mikefraz]

As a mechanical engineering major going into my senior year, I have designed a few gun parts and whatnot for some of my ProE/Solidworks courses. I thoroughly enjoy the mechanical workings of guns. I agree with what was said above about metalurgy classes being mega-boring. I hated my "strength of materials" class. Snoresville for sure. I'm surprised to see so many engineers in this thread though. Maybe it's the engineers that are drawn to guns....or the guns that are drawn to us?